GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL: RELAXED MOORPARK TEAM COMES BACK AGAINST T.O.

Byline: SEAN CEGLINSKY Staff Writer

MOORPARK -- After watching all the high fives, smiling faces, joking and kidding around going on by Moorpark's Rachael Kidder, Amber Bell and Chelsea Daley before the third game of Tuesday's Marmonte League girls' volleyball showdown against Thousand Oaks, one might not have ever known the Musketeers had lost the first two games and were on the brink of elimination.

As it turned out, the relaxed, care-free demeanor worked out just fine for Moorpark, which rallied for a 20-25, 14-25, 26-24, 25-21, 15-12 upset victory at home over the Lancers (13-2, 4-1), ranked No. 3 by the Daily News.

``We made a lot of mistakes in the first couple of games,'' Moorpark coach Brendan Hanson. ``We figured things out though.

``This was one of those wins that builds character. I'm proud of this group. They never gave up. They have tremendous spirit.''

Moorpark (12-4, 4-1), ranked No. 6, opened up the third game with a sense of urgency, jumping out to a 9-4 lead. But Thousand Oaks, coming off a victory Saturday at the Royal of Simi Valley tournament, rallied to the score at 18-18 on a Tori Boden kill.

However, Daley served three consecutive points to give Moorpark -- quarterfinalists at Royal -- a 23-21 lead, Kidder followed with a kill and Rachel Olinyk assured there would be a fourth game with a kill to make it 26-24.

The Musketeers fed off the momentum and opened up a 5-2 advantage in the fourth. Kidder, Daley and Shannon Thompson took over during the crucial stages late, accounting for the final seven points to force a deciding game.

Thousand Oaks' Ellen Querrey, Hannah Clancy, Kat Luft and Deanna Elias did their best to thwart the comeback, but ultimately came up short, snapping the Lancers' 13-match winning streak.

Three consecutive kills by Kidder gave Moorpark an 8-5 lead and the Musketeers completed the improbable run to victory when Clancy hit the ball into the net on match point.

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